Eyeglass construction



May 11, 1937. G. E. NERNEY EYEGLASS CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 22, 1934TTOREYS INVENTOR Patented May 11, 1937 PATENT 1 OFFICE EYEGLASSCONSTRUCTION George E. Nerney, Attleboro, Mass., assignor to Bay StateOptical Company, Attleboro, Mass.,- a corporation oi! Maine ApplicationOctober 22, 1934, Serial No. 749,442

3 Claims.

1; This invention relates to an eyeglass construcion.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide. a lens connectingconstruction for rimless frames or the like which is strong, durable andthoroughly practical. Another object is to provide a construction of theabove nature which is well adapted to withstand continuous hard use.Another object is to provide a construction of the above nature whichmay be rapidly and easily manufactured with a minimum amount of labor,and with inexpensive materials. Another object is to provide aconstruction of the above nature wherein the assembly of the endpiecesto their .15 respective lenses can. be maintained without danger offracturing the lenses. Another object is to provide a construction ofthe above nature wherein the lens connecting parts may be fitted intothe desired position with ease and in which small inaccuracies in thepositioning of the holes in the lens may be automatically compensatedfor. Another object is to provide an endpiece construction foreyeglasses which enhance the appearance 01 frames of this generalcharacter. 5 Another object is to provide a construction of the abovenature which is well suited for use on frames wherein the endpieces aresecured to the lenses at points spaced above the transverse axesthereof. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointedout.hereinafter.

tures of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangementsofparts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafterdescribed and the scope of the application of which be indicated in theappended claims.

In theqaccompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of my invention,

having my endpiece and bridge connections mountedthereon; l

' Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of an eyeglass lenshaving my endpiece mounted thereon, certain parts of the endpiece beingbrok-.

en way; and

Figure S is a sectional view taken along the-line 3-3 of Figure 2. a a

Similar reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing. In order that certain features of thisinvention may be better understood, :it -might; here be pointed outvthat various difliculties ,havebeen encounteredlin attempting to achievea reliable 5 and durable connection between a fitting, such as' Theinvention accordingly consists in the fea- Figure lie 9. front elevationof an eyeglass lens a fitting about the screw. If then the fitting issubjected to unusual strains such as are often possible, for example, bytwisting the temples, it has a tendency to pivot about the screwallowing the rigid arms in alinement with the edge of the lens to diginto the lens, chipping it and often causing breakage. Further stillsuch pivotal movement under stress often causes the portion of the lensbetween the screw hole and the edge 20 to break out necessitatingreplacement of thelens. Also, the assembly of such frames is extremelydifficult. The screw hole must be located in the lensv with extremeaccuracy otherwise it will notbe in alinement with the holes in theinwardly ex- 25 tending arms ofthe fitting or willbe too close to theedge of the lens thus spacing the body portion of the fitting from theedge to make a loose and sloppy connection. One of the objectsoi thisinvention is to provide the above-mentioned difficulties as well as manyothers are successfully overcome.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown in Figures 1 and2 a lens ll preferably characterized by the shape of its edge and more 3particularly the top portion Ila thereof which is preferably regular andslants upwardly and inwardly substantially in a direction toward the.nose of the wearer. Lens ll likewise has another straight edge portionslants upwardly and outwardly away from the nose of the wearer, the lensthus desirably taking the form shown in Figure 1. Securedtolens 1|substantially adjacent edge portion Ha thereof is an endpiece fittinggen- 45 erally indicated at III, while a bridge fitting generallyindicated at I2 is secured to the lens substantially adjacent edgeportion l lb thereof. As. the lens-connecting portions of fittings "landI 2' are substantially similar, the details of con- 50 struction withrespect to fitting ill willonly be described. 1

Referring now to Figure 3, fitting l0- includes 'a pair of arms II andi5 which are preferably integral wit a'construction in which 30 lib(Figure 1) which 40 body portio'n Ilia (Figure 2X01 v 0f the fittingwhile endpiece 30. Arms I4 and I5 extend inwardly over the oppositesurfaces of lens II and terminate at enlarged portions Ma and l5a, thesearms preferably being parallel to the transverse axis of the lens.Portions Ma and I5a are suitably bored for the reception of a pin orscrew l6 which extends through both of these portions and lens II tosecure fitting ID in position on the lens. .Screw I 6 is preferably,threaded into the bore of portionl5a and accordingly upon being takenup, arms I4 and I5 lie flush against the opposite surfaces .of lenspreferably in substantially the position shown in Figure 1.

- The inner surface l0b (Figure 2) of body portion Illa which liesbetween arms l4 and I5 is substantially parallel to the edge portion Ila and is also substantially in alinement therewith. Extending upwardlyand downwardly from body portion Illa is a pair of substantially rigidlens straps l1 and I8 which are preferably integral with body portionIlla and in alinement with edge portion Ila: the inner surfaces of thesestraps are substantially parallel to edge portion Ila and are preferablyin the same plane asface Illb of the body portion.

Referring more particularly to Figure 2, when fitting III is in itsnormal position, arms l4 and I5 are substantially parallel to thetransverse axis of the lens, and, as explained above, surface Illb ofthe fitting and the irmer surfaces of straps l1 and I3 are substantiallyparallel to edgeportion Ila. Furthermore when the. fitting is in itsassembled position, strap II terminates below a line A passing throughthe axis of screw 4 l6 and perpendicular to edge portion Ila.Accordingly if the fitting is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction,as viewed in Fi e 2, end portion lla of strap ll moves away from edgeportion II a of the lens, i. e., the space between end portion Na andthe edge of the lens is increased. On the other hand, clockwise movementof the fitting about screw .I6 decreases any space which may 'existbetween strap l8 and edge portion, Ila to bring the inner surface ofthis'strap into a glancing engagement with the edge. This glancingengagement of strap I8 with the edge of the lens is not damaging asi iripart of the strap can bite into the edge were the shape of the parts. 1

Preferably secured to strap I8 is a spring leaf 24extending upwardlybetween arms and I5 (Figure 3), beneath strap terminating at a pointsubstantially aBo'veen'd portion I'la of strap I'l. Preferably springleaf 24 is secured to strap-Ill by way of a. rivet 22 or the like.- Aspring leaf 23'i's preferably secured to strap I! by way of a rivt' 2|or the like extending therethrough. Preferably the intermediate portionof spring leaf 23. is secured to the strap leaving the free ends thereofto engage spring leaf 24. Thus end portion 23aof spring leaf 23desirably engages spring leaf 24 in thevicinity of the body portionupper end portion 23b contacts spring leaf 24 at a point substantiallyspaced from end portion l'la of strap l1.

- Accordingly it will now be, seen that spring leaf 23 cushions endportion lla against spring leaf 24,'while spring leaf 24 cushions theentire fitting against edge portion Ila of the lens. All

rigid portions of fitting III are out of engagement with the edge of thelens, the only contact between the fitting and the edge being achievedby spring leaf .24. -Fur thermore,=- as explained above, any pivotalmovement of the fitting in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2is converted into a glancing force against edge portion Ila andconsequently cannot damage the edge. The upper portion of the fitting,i. e. that portion in the vicinity of strap I1, is amply cushioned fromthe edge of the lens by the spring leaves 23 and 24.

. If for any reason, as, for example, the loosening of screw l6, itbecomes possible for fitting- I 0 to pivot slightly about the screw asan axis, such pivotal movement in a clockwise direction as viewed inFigure 2 is a practical impossibility due to the proximity of strap l8to edge portion Ila. Pivotal movement of the fitting in acounter-clockwise direction first causes end portion I'la to move awayfrom edge Ila as described above, tending to release the tension in thesprings and accordingly lessen the strains on the connection between thelens and the endpiece. However, this does not make for a sloppyconnection between the fitting and the edge of the lens as spring leaves23 and 24 take up the slack as it develops. If, for any reason, thispivotal movement continues, end portion l'la of strap l'l pressesagainst spring 23 and in turn against spring 24. However the end portionis amply cushioned from the edge of the lensconsequently avoiding anychipping of the edge as might be true in many of the constructions now.in use. Further still, during this pivotal movement or the applicationof a force tending to cause pivotal movement, there is no rigid part inengagement with the edge of the lens and consequently the forces tendingto pull screw 16 toward the edge of the lens to break out this portionof the lens are reduced. These forces are reduced to the amount oftension existing in springs 23 and 24 which'is not suflicient to breakout this portion of the lens.

When a fitting of this character is to be applied to a lens it is firstnecessary to bore a hole through which screw I6 fits. If this hole isinadvertently placed too close to portion Ila of the lens, the slackbetween the body of the fitting and the edge of the lens is taken up bythe sprin leaves 23 and 24. If, on the other hand, the hole is placedfurther away from the edge, the spring leaves may be flattened down moreso that the screw may be passed therethrough. It will thus beseen that.considerable leeway is allowed in locating the hole, thus making theassembly much more simple than has been true in past constructions.

Accordingly it will be seen that I have provided an efficient andthoroughly practical construction in which the several objectshereinabove set forth in additlonto many others have been successfullyaccomplished.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and asmany changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is tobe understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. In eyeglass construction, in combination, a lens having a straightedge portion at a substantially acute angle to the transverse axisthereof and inclined inwardly toward the vertical axis said fittingsubstantially inalinement with said" edge portion, the free end of saidstrap being spaced below a line perpendicular to said edge cured to saidfitting, and resilient means disposed between one end oisaid strap andsaid spring member and se'iiured to said strap at a point "spaced fromthe point at which said spring memher, is securedto said fitting,

2. In eyeglass construction, in combination, a

- lens having a straight edge acutely inclined with respect to thetransverse axis thereof in a direction toward the vertical axis thereof,an endpiece including a body portion and a pair of spaced armsextending. integrally therefrom, said arms embracing oppositesurfaces ofthe lens and being pivotally secured thereto at a point spaced above thetransverse axis of said lens, the surface of said body portion adjacentsaid straight edge being in substantial alinement with said straightedge and the top surface of ,said body portion being substantiallyparallel to the transverse axis of 'said lens, a pair of straps integralwith said body portion and extending upwardly and downwardly therefromrespectively in alinement with said straight edge, a springpart securedat one end to said downwardly extendingstrap and disposed between saidendpiece and said straight edge and contacting said strai t edge at bothends thereof, and a spring member disposed between said upwardlyextending strap -and said spring part, both ends of said spring membercontacting the outer surface of said spring part, the free end of saidupwardly extending strap being spaced below a line perpendicular to saidstraight edge and passing through the pivotal axis of said arms.

3. In eyeglass construction, in combination, a lens having a straightedged portion, a fitting pivotally secured to said lens, a pair of armsone extending upwardly and the other extending downwardly from saidfitting adjacent the edge of said has and substantially in alignmenttherewith, a spring part longer than and disposed between said arms andthe edge of said lens, said spring part extending beyond the ends ofsaid arms, both ends of said spring part engaging said straight edgedportion, said spring part being secured to said downwardly extendingarm, and a spring member substantially shorter than said spring part anddisposed between said upwardly extending arm and said spring part, theopposite ends of said spring member engaging said spring part only atpoints spaced from the lower edge thereof and being secured to saidupwardly extending arm.

GEORGE E.

